Taping machine



Feb. 19, 1957 Filed Oct. 25. 1954 H. W. HlTTlE ETAL TAPING MACHINE 2Sheets-Sheet l Feb. 19, 1957 H. w. H11-TIE nm. 2,781,932

TAPING MACHINE ATMRNEX United States Patent O TAPING MACHINE ApplicationOctober 25, 1954, Serial No. 464,374

6 Claims. (Cl. 2169) This invention relates to a taping machine, andmore particularly to a machine for applying gummed tape to severalstacked cartons.

In the shipping and handling of boxes or cartons of like size it isconvenient and desirable to package several cartons together in order tominimize the individual handling of relatively small cartons whilepreparing them for storage or shipment. The purpose of the presentinvention is to mechanize the taping together of a varying number ofcorrugated boxes or cartons for bulk handling.

An object of this invention is to provide a machine for taping severalcartons together which substantially eliminates manual handling of thecartons.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a machine forautomatically placing a strip of tape across the top of several stackedcartons, for aligning the cartons, and for causing the tape to besecured around the cartons.

In order to accomplish these and other objects, a

machine according to the present invention comprises a platform uponwhich cartons are stacked and which is mounted on an air cylinder bymeans of which the platform is raised and lowered, a tape dispenser forcausing a length of tape to be placed over the top of the stackedcartons, and a taping head assembly through which the cartons arecarried by the air cylinder and which aligns the cartons and seals thetape against the sides thereof. A suitable control system is providedfor the operation of the machine.

The novel features of the invention, as well as additional objects andadvantages thereof, will be understood more fully from the followingdescription when read in connection with the accompanying drawing, inwhich:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a machine according to thepresent invention;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the machine o Figure l taken along the line 22 in the direction of the appended arrows; and

Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of an electrical circuit and controlsprovided for the machine of Figure l.

Referring in more detail to the accompanying drawing, a mechanism fortaping cartons comprises an upright frame generally designated by thenumeral 11 and having a lower bed portion 13, an upright bracket portionl5, and an intermediate shelf 17.

An air cylinder assembly 25 is mouned on the bed portion 13 and includesa vertically mounted air cylinder 27 having a piston rod 29 extendingthrough the top thereof. The cylinder is operated as a double actingcylinder and has combination intake-exhaust ports 31 and 33 located atthe bottom and the top of the cylinder. Solenoid valves 35 and 37 areconnected to these ports by means of air lines 39 and 41. These valves35 and 37 are also connected to a source of air under pressure. The airsource is not illustrated. Each of the valves is provided with a ventwhich will permit air to be ex- 2,781,932 Patented Feb. 19, 1957 ICChausted from the cylinder when the valve is not actuated to cause airunder pressure to dow into the cylinder.

A stacking platform 51 is mounted on the end of the piston rod 29 and isdimensioned to receive cartons 52 or other materials for which themachine is designed.

A taping head assembly 61 is mounted on the upper portion 15 of theframe 11. This assembly includes a closed, substantially rectangularframe work 63 which is open in a vertical direction and which isdimensioned to permit the passage through it of the stacking platform51. yA pair of vertical tracks 65 and 67 are mounted on the frame 63 bymeans of brackets 69 and 71 respectively. 'Ihese tracks extenddownwardly to a point where they may be engaged by the stacking platform51 at its lowermost position to guide the platform 51 through the tapinghead when it is raised by the air cylinder.

A pair of aligning rails or shoes 73 and 75 are mounted within the frame63 at opposite corners thereof. These rails are fabricated from angleirons, for example, in order to accommodate the corners of the cartonsand are flared outwardly at the bottom so that they may readily receivecartons which are placed on the stacking platform. The mounting means bywhich the aligning rails 73 and 75 are secured to the frame 63 includecoil springs 77 and 79 respectively which bias the aligning railsinwardly toward the cartons held within them. The biasing force of thesesprings 77 and 79 is sutilciently strong to retain the cartons by meansof friction within the taping head assembly after the stacking platformhas been withdrawn.

A pair of vertically disposed taping shoes 81 and 83 are also mountedwithin the frame 63 on two opposite sides thereof. These shoes arespring mounted on the frame in a manner similar to the aligning railsand are also flared outwardly at the bottom to facilitate the receptionof the cartons within the shoes.

A tape dispenser 91 is mounted on the shelf 17 and is aligned so thatthe tape which is dispensed therefrom will project across the path ofthe stacking platform 51 and beneath and in line with the taping shoes81 and 83. The tape dispenser 91 may be any known type of electricallyoperated dispenser which will meter out a Xed length of gummed tape. Ahorizontal chute 93 extends from the tape dispenser 91 to direct thetape 94 over the top of the cartons which will be stacked on theplatform 51. In order to hold the tape out of contact with the top ofthe cartons while it is being ejected from the dispenser, an air nozzle95 is mounted beneath the chute 93 and is directed in the direction ofthe chute 93. This nozzle is connected to the source of air by means ofair lines 97 and 99 and through a solenoid valve 101. The operating coilof this valve 101 is connected in parallel with the operating motor 102of the tape dispenser 91 so that the air valve will be caused to openwhen the tape dispenser is actuated. The tape dispenser is actuated bymeans of a switch button 103 which may be mounted, for example, on thetaping head assembly 61. The electrical circuit for this mechanism isillustrated in Figure 3.

The solenoid valves 35 and 37 are connected in parallel to a circuitwhich includes a pair of series connected switches 105 and 107. The pairof switches is provided only so that both hands of the operator may beengaged while the cartons are forced upwardly into the taping headassembly. The valves 35 and 37 are arranged so that one end of thecylinder 27 is normally open to the air supply and the other end of thecylinder 27 is normally open to atmosphere by means of a vent 36 or 38.With this arrangement when the circuit is closed, the piston within theair cylinder 27 will be caused to move in one direction, upwardly forexample, and when the circuit is open the piston will be caused to movein the opposite direction.

The operation of the mechanism will now be described. In its normalposition the stacking platform 51 isdown and the air cylinder piston isat the lower portion of the cylinder 27. The vaive 37 is normallypositioned to open the upper portion of the cylinder to the air supplycausing the piston to be held in the downward position by means of theair pressure. The valve 35 is normally positioned to shut off the supplyof air to the lower portion of the cylinder 'and open this portion toatmosphere through the vent 36.' When the desired number of cartons havebeen pierced on the stacking platfortnv 51, the switch 103 isclosedcausing the dispenser 91 to eject a length of tape sufficient toextend over the top of the cartons and downwardly on either side thereofto the lowermos't carton. While the tape is being ejected, it issuspended over the cartons by means ot' an air jet from the nozzle 95.When the dispenser motor stops, the air jet will be shut off permittingthe tape to rest on the top of the cartons, The operator by then closingtwo switches 105 and 107 positions the valves 35 and 37 to direct airinto the lower portion of the cyl indcr 27 and to permit the air in theupper portion of the cylinder to' be ejected to atmosphere through vent38. This causes the cylinder to force the cartons Lipwardly into thetaping head assembly where the cartons are aligned by means of aligningrails 73 and 75 and where the tape will be pressed against the sides ofthe cartons by means of the taping shoes 8l and 83.

As soon as the switches 105 and 107 are opened, the valves 35 and 37will again reverse themselves and the stacking platform will again becaused to assume its Original position. However, the cartons which arenow taped together will be held within the taping head assembly by meansof the spring loaded shoes and aligning rails. lf the ends of the tapeextend below the bottom surface of the bottom carton, these ends may nowbe manually pressed against this surface. When this opera tion isrepeated and a second group of cartons is forced into the taping headassembly the preceding group will be forced upwardly completely throughthe taping head assembly and may be tipped onto a conveyor 1li by meansof a tipping bar 113 which may be attached to the frame 63.

What is claimed is:

l. A machine for taping together a pluraiity of stacked cartonscomprising in combination a platform for receiving said cartons, amechanism for dispensing a fixed length of gummed tape across the top ofsaid cartons,

means for supporting said tape above said cartons while it is beingdispensed, means disposed above said platform including spaced springbiased shoes for pressing said tape against the sides of said cartons`means for raising said platform whereby said cartons are carried betweensaid spring biased shoes, means for aligning said cartons between saidspring biased shoes, and means for frictionally supporting said cartonswhen said raising means is withdrawn.

2. A machine for taping together a plurality of stacked cartonscomprising in combination a platform for receiw ing said cartons, :lmechanism for dispensing :i lixetl length of gttmmed tape across the`top of said cartons on said platform.v means for supporting said tapeout ot' engagement with said cartons while il is being dispensed. ataping head disposed above said platform including n pair of tapingshoes disposed to press said tipe against opposite sides of saidcartons. means for raising: said platform whereby said cartons arecarried into said tsping head into engagement with said taping shoes.means for aligning said cartons in mid taping bevil. and snp portingshoes mounted in sind taping head for frictional- Iy supporting saidcartons within said taping head when said raising means is withdrawn.said cartons being lli) adapted to be pushed through said taping head bysucceeding cartons stacked on` said platform.

3. In a machine for taping together a plurality of stacked cartons, aplatform for receiving said cartons, air cylinder operated means forraising and lowering said platform, a tape dispensing mechanism disposedabove said platform, air jet means for carrying said tape across saidcartons out of engagement with said cartons during operation of saiddispensing mechanism, and a taping head assembly disposed in the path ofsaid platform, said assembly including a Pair of spring biased shoesdisposed to press said tape across opposite sides of said cartons, saidassembly including aligning rails dsposed to engage opposite corners ofsaid cartons, said alignv ing rails being spring biased whereby saidtaped cartons are frictionally supported within said taping headassembly.

4. In a machine for taping together a plurality of stacked cartons, aplatform for receiving said cartons, air cylinder operated means forraising and lowering said platform, a tape dispensing mechanism disposedabove said platform, air jet means for projecting said tape above saidcartons out of engagement with said cartons during the operation of saiddispensing mechanism, a taping head assembly disposed in the path ofsaid platform, said assembly including a pair of spring biased shoesdisposed to press said tape against opposite sides of said cartons, saidassembly including aligning rails disposed to engage opposite corners ofsaid cartons, said aligning rails being spring biased against saidcartons whereby said taped cartons may be frictionally supported withinsaid taping head assembly, said cartons in said taping head assemblybeing adapted to be pushed through said head assembly by a subsequentstack of cartons, and means for tipping said prior stack of cartons ontoa conveyor.

5. A machine for taping together a plurality of stacked cartonscomprising in combination a supporting frame, an air cylinder mounted onsaid frame and having a piston rod extending from the upper end thereof,a platform rigidly mounted on said piston rod for movement in aivertical direction with said piston, a taping head mounted on saidsupporting frame in alignment with said cylinder and platform, said headbeing dimensioned to receive a plurality of cartons carried on saidplatform, means for dispensing a xed length of gummed tape across thepath of said cartons and platform, air jet means for carrying said tapeacross said cartons and out of contact with' said cartons while it isbeing dispensed, spring biased shoes in said taping head disposed toseal said tape against opposite sides of said cartons, a pair ofaligning rails ih said taping head disposed to engage opposite cornersof said cartons whereby said cartons are frictionally supported in saidhead, and control means for operating said air cylinder and said tapedispensing mechanism.

6. A machine for taping together a plurality o f stacked cartonscomprising in combination a supportingV frame, an air cylinder mountedon said frame and having a piston rod extending from the upper endthereof, a carton receiving platform rigidly mounted on the upper end ofsaid piston rod for movement in a vertical direction with said piston, ataping head mounted on said supporting frame above said platform and inalignment therewith, said head being dimensioned to enclose said cartonsplaced on said platform, a tape dispensing mechanism mounted on saidframe and disposed to dispense a xed length of gummed tape across thepath of said cartons and platform. nir jet means for supporting saidtape out of contact with said cartons while it is being dispensed, apair of taping shoes in said taping head disposed to prt-ss` said tapeagainst opposite sides of said cartons when sind cartons are carriedinto said head by said piston, a pair of aligning rails in said tapinghead disposed to engage the opposite corners of said cartons wherebysaid cartons nre aligned upon engagement with Mangez said rails, saidrails being adapted to frictionally support said cartons within saidhead when said platform is withdrawn, a conveyor, means associated withsaid taping head for tipping said stacked cartons onto said conveyorwhen they are carried through said head, and control means for operatingsaid air cylinder and said tape dispensing mechanism.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

